WELCOME TO THE OFFICIAL RICHARD E GERSTEIN JUSTICE BUILDING BLOG. THIS BLOG IS DEDICATED TO JUSTICE BUILDING RUMOR, HUMOR, AND A DISCUSSION ABOUT AND BETWEEN THE JUDGES, LAWYERS AND THE DEDICATED SUPPORT STAFF, CLERKS, COURT REPORTERS, AND CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS WHO LABOR IN THE WORLD OF MIAMI'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE. THIS BLOG HAS BEEN CALLED "THE DEFINITIVE BLOG ON MIAMI CRIMINAL LAW" BY THE NY TIMES, THE WASHINGTON POST, THE POPE, AND DONALD TRUMP WHO ALSO ONCE SAID IT WAS "REALLY GREAT". POST YOUR COMMENTS, OR SEND RUMPOLE A PRIVATE EMAIL AT HOWARDROARK21@GMAIL.COM

Query: We think this is day five of deliberations. What's your personal record and what's the REGJB record? This case has to be close. Monday started off with a bang on Mr. Markus's blog with two posts: one dealing with the 9th circuit's reversal of a a death penalty conviction of a woman based solely on the word of a discredited detective that she confessed to him, and the second on the US Supreme Court's grant of cert (latin for "sure, why not, we'll consider your case") in a South Florida case involving the federal forfeiture statute. You can peruse all the action here.

We saw some news report over the weekend (probably on MSNBC) about the trend in states to outlaw the death penalty. At some point it will just be Florida and Texas and Alabama and Mississippi. Mitigation y'all? @Davidovalle305 tweeting all the latest in Escobar/Estefan jury. We'll be the second to let you know if and when there is a verdict. See You In Court.

How many chances can Lindsay Lohan get? She keeps making the same mistakes over and over. She looks aged from all her binge drinking, partying and drug abuse. Did she even wash her hair when she arrived in court?

Rump- a little help. I am a Boston Yankee blue blood working in my first year at a big firm. All of the new associates and interns at GT read the blog. Anyway I'm in Tallahassee a few weeks ago taking depos (ok, watching a senior associate take repos) and afterwards we go out and I meet this southern belle FSU student who is tending bar. To make a long story short, she is smoking hot honey blonde southern dripping and I cannot understand her accent. We are getting along well and she wants me to me "mamma and papa" and she tells me she grew up in- please don't laugh- as near as I can figure her accent it sounds like - I swear- "done eatin" Florida. I am too embarrassed to ask her. Any help from some Florida blog readers?

I know cops lie, which is deplorable, but why do prosecutors lie? Do they not have a conscience? I honestly don't know how some prosecutors sleep at night, especially Gail Levine. She is in the same class as the dishonest, lying cops and gets away with it each and every time.

In 1997-1998, I was one of 12 lawyers who tried the "Tourist Robbery Case" before Judge Lenore Nesbitt. This was a Fed. RICO case based on robberies of tourists in rental cars, most coming from or going to the airport.

As I recall, the jury had to answer 101 questions on the Verdict. One Defendant was found guilty of being a felon in possession. All of the remaining counts resulted in Not Guilty verdicts or a hung jury.

Anyone know what's happening with merit raises? I'm told people getting raises from the Office of the General Counsel are sworn to silence. It seems those handing out the raises think their staff are too dumb and blind to put two and two together. I just see friends split from friends. Are other offices keeping these raises/bonuses on the hush hush?

My favorite part of the game last night was when Lebron James made Heat-hater Jason Terry look like one of the chattering animals on the crumbling ediface after the Angry Bird has smashed into it. I also liked the fact that Boston was shooting in the 60% range from the field and still couldn't beat the Heat.

3d DCA Watch -- Bye Bye Bunker Edition!
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So one time in bunker camp the Resplendently Robed Ones™ decided to pretty
much chuck the month of December and go explore the beautiful environs of *Centra...